


the villain i appear to be

by orange_cheetah



Category: Joker Game (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Noir, Guns, Knives, M/M, Phantom Thief Kaminaga, Private Investigator Tazaki, Strangling, happy kamitaza day!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:07:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24031051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orange_cheetah/pseuds/orange_cheetah
Summary: Private detective Tazaki gets more than he bargained for on this particular job, but the night is still young - there's no telling what will happen.
Relationships: Kaminaga/Tazaki (Joker Game)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> playlist if that's your jam <3:  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Z20iQWzDrqFM6qsEoCE5O)

Tazaki has secured a seat near the exhibition room's entrance. 

He takes in the other patrons sitting around the table: all wealthy ladies and gents, with the resources to actively partake in the auction. They in turn look at him with mild disdain - despite the care Tazaki has put into his outfit, his face is still unfamiliar to the upper echelons of the city. 

However, his name - a carefully chosen pseudonym - _does_ ring a bell for anyone that cares to enquire after it, but just enough to appease the curiosity.

He politely pretends not to notice the hushed debate the two men opposite him is having. Let them speculate to their heart's content. As long as the relative obscurity of his chosen surname holds up, they'll eventually get bored and leave him well alone.

Technically, Tazaki did get invited, though. Not as someone to spice things up when the bidding commences, no, not by a long shot. He's here for a completely different reason. 

He's here to make sure nothing goes wrong. Tazaki chuckles silently; maybe that's an exaggeration. To be more accurate, he's just here as an extra pair of eyes for the police, blending in with the crowd. He might be able to spot things people are hiding from the uniformed authorities. After all, he's just another guest to anyone else.

Tazaki leans back against his chair and glances out the main entrance. Amongst the other tables and the chattering figures clustered on the red carpet, he catches sight of Inspector Sakuma, dutifully patrolling the perimeter with some of his officers. A charmingly naive guy with a too-strong sense of responsibility; it may or may not be his downfall.

Only a guy like him would think of hiring a private detective. Points for strategy, seeing as Tazaki wouldn't be on a list of officers on duty, if anyone should get their hands on it. 

Unfortunately, Tazaki isn't hoping for a quiet night. Calm waters don't put food on a private eye's table.

Sure he gets paid either way, but if something, ah, _unpleasant_ is to happen... Well, he can't possibly be blamed for charging extra, can he?

That's where Sakuma's mistake lays: a private detective's moral compass often adjusts according to the situation.

He wonders how long Sakuma will be able to stay on the force. 

The lady sitting across the table is sneaking glances at him; her curiosity piqued by the men's conversation, no doubt. Tazaki graces her with a practiced smile loaded with charm - one designed specifically to fluster its recipient. It achieves its intended purpose; the lady blushes. She looks away and pretends to be studying the tiny cake on her plate, prodding it with an equally small fork.

Tazaki isn't a famous detective, not by any means - but depending on who you ask, he can be quite reliable. This level of blending in is child's play, even with his relatively shabby outfit. He tugs at the cuffs of his suit absentmindedly; he's actually quite fond of this one.

The rest of the hall is packed with tables covered in white cloth, much like their own. Casual conversations barely mask the buzz of anticipation in the air. Waiters in smart black uniforms weave through the tables, carrying trays of beverage and petite food items. Somehow, they manage to avoid colliding into each other and the guests wandering about. The pop of a wine bottle being uncorked punctuates the noise at regular intervals.

At one end of the hall is the stage, directly opposite the main entrance. The items currently on display in the exhibition hall will be auctioned off here later, but right now a lady in a red dress is crooning out a song. The melody floats down and mingles pleasantly with the drone of conversation below stage. 

Several metres away from Tazaki is the archway to the exhibition room, guarded by a bored-looking security guard. The items inside sit under glass cases with soft lighting, but no one is allowed more than a sneak peek through the doorway, except for a few very special guests. To call them 'on display', Tazaki feels, is a bit of an overstatement.

He takes a sip of his champagne. Somewhere down the hall, a loud voice pierces through the low hubbub.

A young man seems to be drunk already, poor lad. A few other boys cheer him on as he attempts to engage the security guard in a fight. Tazaki looks on with mild amusement as the boy flings himself at the guard with a punch, only to fall awkwardly against him.

"Do you think" - the red-faced young man stumbles back and points at the guard - "that we can't take care of our own things? That we need you to guard them for us?" 

"Sir - " the guard begins to say, trying to talk some sense into the boy. He appears - understandably - incredulous and confused. Unlike Tazaki, he has probably been hoping for a quiet shift. 

A gasp (or a hiccup) escapes the boy. "You might even be suspecting one of us!" The young men gathered around whoop in exaggerated cheer at the nonsensical accusation; a brawl is always fun. The drunken lad swipes a champagne flute from a passing waiter and gulps the contents down. To the waiter's credit, he moves on as if nothing is out of the ordinary.

The banter continues for a few more minutes, with the troublemaker getting increasingly drunker and bolder. The security guard chases after the boy as he darts about, worried that he'll cause trouble for the other guests. Unfortunately, said guests are also enjoying themselves tremendously - they laugh and make no attempts to stop the boy.

 _Oh, this is fun._ All eyes in the room are now on the comical pair. Even the lady has stopped singing - this whole spectacle is quite distracting. Tazaki hopes the rest of the night contains surprises such as this and not just endless, boring bidding. 

Distracting.

_Distraction._

The smirk disappears from Tazaki's face.

As everyone's attention is commanded by the commotion on the other side of the hall, he glances at the archway to the exhibit room.

A lone figure steps out from within, all uniformed professionalism. _I know what I'm doing_ , his mannerisms say, prompting everyone else's attention to pass by him undisturbed, like water off a duck's back. _Just another waiter, barely worth a glance._

Tazaki narrows his eyes; it's the same one that served the drunken boy earlier. Coincidence? Unlikely.

Before he could do anything, the guard returns to his post at the archway. The boy must've been dealt with - at least, he can no longer be heard. Tazaki watches over the top of his wine glass as the man disappears inside the hall, doing a quick circuit of the contents. He emerges looking relieved. 

_False alarm._ Tazaki sighs inwardly.

The guard pats his jacket pocket absent-mindedly, and immediately freezes. His face turns the colour of cream cheese, much like the wallpaper behind him.

In the split second it takes Tazaki to understand what's happening, he's already out of his chair. "Pardon me," he smiles tightly at the guest seated beside him, as he glances at the staff doorway the waiter has disappeared through a minute ago.

-

That was easier than he expected. 

Kaminaga shakes his head to get rid of the thought, lest he jinxes himself. Still, it's harder to keep the smirk from his face and the bounce in his step as he hurries down the side alley behind the hall. 

He's pleased to find it empty of another soul; Miyoshi has obviously played his part well. As responsible as Sakuma might be, complete immunity towards Miyoshi's charm just isn't possible. Kaminaga knows that from experience.

Having Hatano cause a ruckus was obviously the correct call. Even Kaminaga himself isn't perfectly sure he _wasn't_ drunk; it was quite a performance. If only the others could've seen it! 

Well, drunk or otherwise, Hatano did manage to slip Kaminaga the keys he swiped off the guard, and that's all that matters. The act of unlocking the glass case and swapping the diamonds is child's play compared to what they're used to.

Not even the undercover detective has proven to be a problem. Yes - they know about his existence. Kudos to Sakuma for trying, but nothing gets past their very own Jitsui. This Tazaki fellow would have to try harder next time.

Well, for now Kaminaga's done with the first part of the mission. The diamond is nestled safely in his vest pocket, while its counterfeit twin sits in the exhibition hall. That should buy him some time. He loosens the tie that has been choking him all evening and breathes a little easier. 

As for the keys to the display cases, they're dropped somewhere out of the way but not too hidden - a quick search would turn them up easily enough. The auction should be able to carry on as scheduled.

He's being watched. 

Kaminaga would've heard footsteps if the other party wasn't consciously trying to hide the sound. He's instantly on edge.

Under normal circumstances he would've shaken whatever tail he has by backtracking and making detours, even if that takes him hours to achieve. Unfortunately, time is one thing that's working against him for this mission. 

He looks back over his shoulder. There is always the off chance that he's wrong - maybe it's just someone used to stealth, taking a shortcut through the same alley. Still shady, but none of Kaminaga's business, as long as he's left alone.  
  
The moment Kaminaga recognizes the detective, three options present themselves to him.

Option A, play dumb. Kaminaga is pretty certain no one had seen him in the act, and from the calls for bidding coming from the auction hall next to them, no alarms has been raised yet. The detective is likely following him on a hunch at best. 

Stop and pretend he doesn't know anything about whatever he's going to confront him about. Except... the diamond is sitting right in his pocket. Kaminaga won't be able to bluff his way out of a search by feigning indignation, especially in his waiter disguise. Someone working in the service industry isn't exactly high up the societal ladder.

Option B is to take him out, but without a feel of his opponent's capabilities, Kaminaga would rather avoid risking any direct confrontation.

That leaves just Option C - getting the hell out of here.

Without a backwards glance Kaminaga dashes down the alley, fully aware that he might as well have admitted to committing a crime in the detective's face. If the man had any doubts about Kaminaga's guiltiness, they're trampled under his fleeing steps.

The detective reacts quickly, giving chase. _Damn, he's fast._ Kaminaga wracks his brain for a suitable place nearby to lose his meddlesome tail, as the brick walls blur past on either side.

He _does_ end up jinxing himself after all. Jitsui would laugh at his predicament.

Kaminaga reaches out an arm and knocks over a towering pile of boxes, dodging them as they fall. An annoyed exclamation comes from somewhere behind him (now slightly less closer, thank heavens) and he chuckles, emerging into a street.

The light from a casino spills out onto the cobblestones pompously but invitingly. Kaminaga doesn't bother hiding the wet shoeprints he's leaving on the red carpet and disappears through the glass revolving doors. He's certain the detective is already hot on his heels anyway.

"Oh, look who's here!" 

The interior of the casino is as chaotic as its exterior is dazzling. People begin crowding around him, flirting or just simply saying hello. On any other night he'd soak in the attention, but not this one. Tonight he appreciates his popularity a lot less, as different sorts of people all clamour to pull him to whatever game they're playing at the moment. A pleasant breeze sneaks her way inside past the huge open windows and brushes his face teasingly.

Oh, how he'd like to stay.

"Not tonight, my lovelies." Kaminaga displays one of his most charming smiles. Judging by the dreamy sighs from both ladies and gents, he deems it successful. "I'm afraid I have more... pressing issues to attend to."

Even as he's tugged and pushed about, he sees the detective standing near the doors glaring at him. What a situation they've landed in. Any hope of losing Tazaki in a crowd is lost with said crowd literally concentrated around him; he's quite under the spotlight.

Fortunately, the crowd also means that the detective can't lay a finger on him. A stalemate, then. Time he cannot afford to lose is slipping away with each passing second.

"Darling!" Kaminaga calls to Tazaki. _That_ catches everyone's attention; all heads turn towards the newcomer. "It was just one night! No strings attached, remember?"

The detective stops in his tracks. "What?"

Kaminaga lowers his voice so only the people around him can hear. "Listen, I need to get away fast." He winks for good measure. "Help a fellow bastard out, hm?"

"Piece of cake," someone says amongst the chuckles. The formidable crowd advances on the detective, who has turned an endearing shade of pink at the implications of Kaminaga's outburst. _Gods, that's adorable._

Kaminaga inches towards the back exit, making sure the crowd is sufficiently occupying the detective's attention. Pretty soon the crowd has him where Kaminaga was standing just a moment ago. "Tell us alllll about it~" a lady cajoles the detective.

A gleeful snort escapes Kaminaga as the detective disappears briefly under the small sea of heads. His hand is already on the door; he's ready to slip out into the night and continue with his assignment. 

Something glints in Tazaki's hand, and Kaminaga's heart skips a beat. _It can't be._ Even so, he touches his pocket tentatively - it's empty. 

_Fuck._

It must've fallen out during the commotion, and the bastard's got it now. 

The detective holds up both hands, both empty. To Kaminaga's horror, the man's moving towards one of the open windows. "I'd love to chat," Tazaki says above the ruckus, "especially about his, ah, nighttime activities" - a triumphant glare at Kaminaga here - "but I really have to go."

In a series of graceful actions the detective extracts himself from the crowd, vaults over the windowsill, and disappears onto the streets. 

Kaminaga swears under his breath and dashes out the door.

  
That's the problem with private detectives, Kaminaga muses to himself as he stalks his target through the dimly-lit streets. Technically, both of them belong in the same category of shady characters.

And being from said category, it means either one of them probably knows the city as well as the other. This endless chase wouldn't do any good.

Even so, detectives can hardly be trained in the way thieves are. Especially ones with a teacher as formidable as theirs. He surveys his surroundings: a cramped alleyway, just like the hundreds of other such passages in this city. Damp spots on the ground, and thin iron staircases clinging to the side of buildings. A stray cat hisses at him, its fur standing on end.

Half a minute later he's perched on the roof of a tailor's, his eyes following the figure on the street beneath him. Picking up the detective's trail again is child's play. If a fair chase gets them nowhere, Kaminaga will graciously deign to cheat and get them _somewhere_. 

He follows the detective, leaping silently from one roof to the other. 

Kaminaga makes sure to always stay behind the bright display lights, ducking between the support beams and sidestepping the electrical wiring. Even so, he's glad there isn't a lot people on the streets anymore. Those still awake right now are either drunk or well on their way to getting there. 

After a torturous wait, Tazaki finally abandons the main streets for a more secluded passage. Kaminaga moves quickly, looking for an adjacent alley he can ambush the detective from. Gauging the height to be manageable, he leaps down and rolls a few feet to lessen the impact. It isn't easy - the space is narrow.

Kaminaga straightens into a crouch and creeps to the mouth of the alley. A pigeon, rather unfortunately, plops down on a trashcan beside him with a dull thud. Kaminaga glares silently, willing it to be quiet. It coos twice, but the sound is unobtrusive, blending with the noises of the city. He strains to hear the detective's footsteps.

Closer, closer.

Closer...

_Now._

The bird explodes from its perch in a flurry of feathers, but Kaminaga is just half a second faster. Darting out from his hiding place, he grabs the detective's collar and slams him against the opposite wall. A knife appears in Kaminaga's other hand; he rests the blade under Tazaki's chin.

"Good evening." Kaminaga smirks. 

"Good evening to you too." The detective stares back at him; Kaminaga realizes with puzzlement that he isn't half as surprised as he should be. 

(He also realizes that they're the same height, which annoys him slightly - Kaminaga's used to the company of his shorter fellow thieves.)

"I'll cut to the chase." Moving the knife in his right hand slightly, Kaminaga tilts the detective's chin up with the blade. "Where is it?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Tazaki drawls, and Kaminaga feels the man's throat move under the blade. He readjusts his grip so the sharp edge bites into skin.

"Yeah, I would." Freeing the hand not holding the knife, Kaminaga begins to search through the detective's pockets. Fuck's sake - he feels like a common robber. This is not how they usually do things, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

He's halfway through the third pocket when Tazaki chuckles. Kaminaga watches in confusion as the detective raises his empty right hand slowly, stopping beside Kaminaga's left ear. Tazaki snaps his fingers; Kaminaga flinches. With an air of confidence men with something sharp pressed to their neck don't usually possess, Tazaki grins.

He pretends to pull something out from Kaminaga's ear, fingers brushing lightly against the side of the thief's head. "Looking for this?"

And right there, inches from Kaminaga's face, is the diamond. He stares at it for a moment, realizing his mistake too late - he's loosened his hold on the knife.

Seizing the moment of distraction, the detective knocks the knife aside with his free hand, the quick but precise swipe taking Kaminaga by surprise. The knife clatters onto the cobblestones; the sound echoes loudly in the silence. 

Kaminaga is suddenly very aware of something pressing against his abdomen. He can almost feel the cold of the gun through his vest.

"Why don't we just call it a night?" the detective suggests, "You let me return the diamond, I collect my pay, and in exchange I don't put a hole through your person and drag you to the police." 

"I'm afraid it's not that simple..." He's running out of time. Kaminaga glances at the gun aimed at him, the disengaged safety - he's obviously at a disadvantage here. He looks back up at Tazaki as his mind races. In this proximity... shit, he _is_ handsome. It wasn't just a trick of the casino lights, then. Kaminaga has better things to worry about, but it's hard not to get distracted. To think just a while ago the same face is a such a lovely shade of pink.

 _Ah, a plan._ Kaminaga smiles. It might just work; Option B might be doable after all.

"Do you really want to know?" He leans forward carefully, echoing the detective's earlier question. The tip of his nose is only inches away from Tazaki's.

Tazaki stands his ground, but his grip on the gun wavers slightly, barely discernible. Kaminaga takes that as a good sign.

He sighs, seemingly in defeat, and runs a hand through his hair. He counts on the movement to distract Tazaki from the gun. The diamond gleams tantalizingly at the edge of his vision. He has to move before it disappears again. 

"Save the theatrics for your friends at the casino." Tazaki glares, taking a step forward and forcing Kaminaga back.

Kaminaga risks another lean forward, opening his mouth like he's about to answer the detective's question. 

His fingers close around the weapon before Tazaki could react. Even as he yanks the gun away from him, Kaminaga presses their lips together briefly, but just long enough to leave an impression.

"!?" A sound of surprise escapes the detective; Kaminaga relishes how it feels against his mouth. He hears the gun hit the ground somewhere to his right.

Tazaki freezes for the second Kaminaga needs to turn the situation around. 

With the gun safely out of the picture (momentarily, at least) and the detective stunned (also momentarily), Kaminaga takes a small step back, and drives a fist into the other man's solar plexus.

A much less pleasant gasp escapes the detective, and Kaminaga winces reflexively. He steps out of the way as Tazaki collapses to the ground, struggling to breathe.

 _Focus on the mission._ Kaminaga picks up the fallen diamond and after a moment of hesitation, kicks the gun out of the detective's reach. It stops spinning somewhere near his own knife.

"Sorry," Kaminaga says futilely, but not insincere. The detective glares up at him, barely conscious but still very much furious. Kaminaga winces again, this time for his own sake.

With the diamond safely in a much more hidden pocket, and the knife retrieved, Kaminaga makes his way out of the maze of alleys. 

At any rate, he thinks to himself, Hatano must never learn of the events that occured. If he does... Kaminaga would never hear the end of it. He hides his face in the crook of his elbow.

Yes, that must be why he's feeling so flustered. 

-

_That was lame._

Tazaki sits up shakily; at least he can breathe somewhat properly now. He leans against the brick wall and blinks. He's not sure how long it's been since - 

_Ugh._

"What the fuck..." he mutters. What really gets to him though, is that the whole experience - leading up to the punch, at least - hasn't been entirely... unpleasant. Not that he'll admit it to anyone else.

Tazaki seems to be in more of a mess than he initially thought. 

A pigeon lands next to him and he can't help it - he laughs, even if the action sends a new wave of pain through him. 

"It's alright," he says, stroking the bird's head gently. "Next time... maybe warn me _before_ the actual attack?" 

Well, he did hope for something to happen tonight - looks like some power up above has been listening after all. Tazaki might as well prepare himself for a long night ahead. Still leaning against the wall for support, he pushes himself upright. 

Pigeons now perch on various stations in the alley; some of them on the ground at Tazaki's feet, some of them on the railings of fire escapes, and a few others on the windowsills of surrounding buildings. "Ladies and gents," he says with a helpless smile, clapping his hands once. "You know what to do. Lead the way."

Tazaki may not be perfect all the time, but he has never lost a target. Even after tonight, the record might still remain untarnished - he does have a few tricks the thieves don't know about, after all. 

-

The lights of other vehicles whizz pass the truck in blurry streaks, like half-glimpsed comets. The night wind feels cold against his skin as it tousles Kaminaga's hair playfully. Pulling his knees up to his chest, Kaminaga hunkers lower in the back of the vehicle.

 _Soon._ Kaminaga sighs and leans his head back against the edge of the truck. A mistake - the truck hits a particularly bumpy stretch of road, and the side of the vehicle smacks into the back of his head painfully.

"Ow." He keeps his voice below a whisper; he has no intention of alerting anyone to his presence. Kaminaga resorts to leaning against the crate next to him instead. He doesn't know what's in it, nor does he care - he's just a hitchhiker, and it really isn't his business to poke around. 

He takes the diamond out of his pocket, and unscrews the top section. Once exposed, the bomb's ticking noise can now be heard clearly.

"...Damn," Kaminaga lets out a soft curse. He tilts the jewel a little, reading the numbers on the tiny panel set in the bomb. The red digits count steadily down - it's currently at 27:29. 

27:28.

27:27.

27:26.

Kaminaga screws the top back on; the little bomb and its ticking disappears once more. He returns the diamond into its pocket.

There's a familiar flapping sound, followed by a soft thud. A pigeon has landed on the box opposite him; it stares at him in the weird way pigeons stare at things. 

"One of you guys nearly blew my cover, you know?" Kaminaga huffs good-naturedly. He turns his attention back to the passing traffic, not giving the bird a second thought.

He's near his destination, but not quite there yet. Another ten minutes to go, Kaminaga estimates. Well, since he's traveling at the fastest possible speed he can manage right now, maybe... just maybe... he can relax a little? 

_Hell, I deserve it._ Kaminaga grins at the indifferent pigeon, and settles more comfortably in his little corner.

He lets his mind wander, but takes care not to doze off accidentally.

Kaminaga soon realizes that relaxation doesn't come easily when you're carrying a bomb in your pocket. Ten minutes later, when they've reached the wharf, the truck slows down as it navigates the narrower roads. Kaminaga makes his escape before the truck leaves the area, taking a quick glance around as he jumps down from the vehicle. 

There's traffic here too, but considerably lighter. An odd car here or there - maybe also up to some shady business. Kaminaga strolls purposefully into one of the smaller streets, giving the road one last glance before disappearing into the shadows. 

The single glance was, however, just a little too brief for him to spot the detective in one of the approaching cars.

-

He saw the little shit, he's sure of it. 

Tazaki parks his car, leaps out, and resumes his search for the thief on foot. He'll get him if that's the last thing he does.

-

"Bit late for a stroll, eh, lad?" 

Kaminaga slows down his pace reluctantly. Beyond the shoulder of the stocky man currently blocking his way, he can see the waters of the pier - a small patch of rippling darkness glimpsed between buildings. 

"Night air just hits different, y'know?" Kaminaga replies, keeping his tone nonchalant. He picks up speed again. "'Scuse me."

"Not so fast," the man drawls as he steps directly into Kaminaga's path. "I hate to say this, but you make a quick and easy mark." 

"I'm not so sure about that." A robbery, then. _Nothing I haven't dealt with before_ , he thinks, only slightly annoyed at the delay in his plans. 

Four other men emerge from the shadows of the structures around, effectively trapping him. Kaminaga sees the weapons in their hands and curses softly but colorfully.

He can take down a single man and hold his own against two or three, but with five armed men as his opponents? He'd be lucky to make it out alive once they're done with him.

"Hey hey, there's no need for that!" The waver in his voice didn't need much pretense - it was pretty fucking genuine. Kaminaga digs around in his pocket and pulls out a wallet that doesn't belong to him. "Just... just take it..." Thank heavens he has been thorough with his disguise.

  
He tosses the wallet at the man who first confronted him. Kaminaga was hoping that the others would cluster around to take a look at the wallet, thereby giving him a chance to escape, but to his dismay they stayed in their respective positions. As the wallet is scrutinized and its contents rummaged through, the men - including Kaminaga - wait with bated breath for the verdict.

"Pathetic," the man announces. "Search him."

Kaminaga sighs. There really isn't much _in_ the wallet - it was just part of his disguise after all - so of course they wouldn't be satisfied. He withdraws his earlier prayer of thanks. 

Seeing as both letting them search him and escaping are out of the equation again... 

Maybe he should just let the bomb explode and send them all to hell. He's far enough from the city centre; it'll still count as a mission accomplished, right?

_No._

_Don't die, don't kill._

Even though he hasn't been serious at all, Yuuki's voice still invades his thoughts. _I know, I know._

He'll have to go with Option B again, but this time Kaminaga doubts it will be as fun. At least there's a chance of surviving the ordeal, however dismal it may be. 

"Wait." _Is this seriously happening?_ "Give me a second." Kaminaga slips his tie off and wraps it around one hand; sounds of disbelief and amusement come from the men. He decides that this, this right here, is the shittiest day he's had in a while.

-

That is definitely the sound of a fight going on. 

Tazaki follows the noise, making sure his gun is easily available should the need arise. 

The angry yells and grunts get louder and louder, until he's sure whoever's involved in the scuffle cannot be much further off. Tazaki peeks carefully around the corner.

That's the thief all right - or rather, a far more bloodied and battered version of the one Tazaki saw earlier tonight. He's fighting valiantly - not to mention fruitlessly - against four men; another lies motionless on the ground nearby.

 _He's good_ , Tazaki realizes, but there's still not much a single man can do against a group of armed assailants. He watches as the thief barely dodges a swing from a crowbar. 

Maybe he can use the situation to his advantage. Intervene at an opportune moment and stop the fight - either by force or other means - and corner the thief, when the bastard's weaker.

One of the thugs get in a particularly vicious strike. Tazaki winces as a meaty fist connects with the side of the thief's head, sending the thief to his knees. 

"Not so feisty now, huh?" The man closest bends down and jerks one of the thief's arms up. He slides the bloodied tie from the thief's knuckles. "Let's send you to sleep."

The thief starts to stand, but is held down by the others still able to move. The tie is slipped around his neck in what is definitely not the correct way. He lets out a choked gasp as it tightens, gradually cutting off his air supply.

Might as well move now.

The men all have their attention on the poor bastard gasping for air - their backs are wide open. Tazaki approaches silently, gun in hand. He briefly considers blowing the brains out of one of them. He hasn't killed before, but there's always a first time for everything.

Nearer now. He can see the thief start to fade, helped no doubt by the large red stain spreading across his shirt. At this rate he might actually just die, and Tazaki will never get any answers. 

Tazaki might still be able to retrieve the diamond, though, and collect his payment for services rendered. 

The unyielding butt of the gun connects with a skull; a sickening crack reverberates in the air around the men. One of them crumples to the ground. 

All three of the remaining thugs stare at him. The thief coughs as the tie loosens momentarily, gulping in air. Tazaki feels a little twinge of satisfaction.

"Sorry to interrupt you gentlemen, but I have my sights set on this one," he says easily, even as he becomes convinced he's gone mad. 

Three men, all considerably weakened. Not terrible odds; he's faced far worse. Besides, he's not exactly alone. 

The detective dodges a broken bottle, its jagged edge already stained red. From this proximity, he can see that the thief definitely did not go down without a fight - the men sport impressive bruises, angry swells coloring their appearances like amateur makeup.

The thief. _Where is he?_ Tazaki ducks under the crowbar and drives his knee into the wielder. The man groans, falls, but doesn't stay down long.

There. The asshole's sneaking away, limping around a corner. Unbelievable. At this rate, Tazaki might actually consider shooting someone, either one of the men he's fighting, the thief, or even Sakuma for getting him into this mess.

-

Kaminaga does feel a tad bad for abandoning the detective, but he also doesn't want to get blown up. Surely it's an understandable reason?

His body isn't obeying him very well, but he doesn't let his mind dwell on that. Not thinking about the severity of his injuries might serve zero good in the long run, but for now he can buy a few more moments with this desperate ignorance. He drags himself further down the pier, the wooden planks uneven beneath his feet. 

The night wind still feels gentle on his face, but it stabs merciless cold through the now wet fabric of his shirt. Definitely crueler than earlier in the night. Kaminaga sways for a second, then rights himself. He keeps going until he reaches the end of the platform.

The water laps softly against the support beams of the pier; the moonlight glistens on the surface like scattered jewellery. For a fleeting instance Kaminaga wishes he's currently there for no more important reasons than a nighttime cigarette break. 

He takes the diamond out of his pocket and opens it for the second time tonight.

00:12.

00:11.

Counting the seconds down in his head, he closes the diamond and tests its weight in his palm. 

Here goes nothing.

Kaminaga tosses the diamond into the water as far as he can, with all his strength. Or what's left of it, anyway. It joins the glitter of the reflected moonlight and sinks soon after.

-

Tazaki watches from the quayside as the diamond is thrown. A glittering speck draws a perfect arc against the velvet dark of the night sky, and disappears into the waves.

The thugs are lying in the middle of the road somewhere behind him, covered with bruises and bird refuse. They'll live... most probably. He didn't hit them that hard.

Tazaki didn't go after the thief on the pier, because then he wouldn't be able to see what the other man was doing. From his position here he can observe perfectly. 

_It's hollow._ Something else has been placed inside the diamond instead.

Tazaki watches the area the diamond is last seen, barely registering the fact that the thief has already turned to go. There are still faint ripples emanating from the place.

He feels a deep rumble under his feet; something glows from the depths of the sea. 

Tazaki watches in mute horror as the water explodes upwards in wavy spikes, not hearing anything above the thunderous roar. _It was a bomb?_

The impromptu display settles gradually, and in its place huge waves start to roll towards the pier. They slap against the sides of moored boats, jostling them against each other hard enough to chip paint. Tazaki steps back instinctively as the boat nearest to him bumps against the cement of the walkway.

By now the surface of the pier is half-submerged in water, the sea sloshing haphazardly in the gaps between planks. With a start Tazaki realizes that it is also completely empty.

He can't possibly have gone far. Not in that state. Tazaki moves closer to the pier and a glance at the ground confirms his suspicions - blood. The drops nearer to the pier has been washed away by the waves, but the rest can still be seen quite clearly. They lead into the closest alley. 

-

Kaminaga isn't sure what exactly happened and when it did, but he does know that he's currently kneeling on the ground. He has a vague recollection that his sense of balance screwed up. 

More warmth seeps through his shirt. Groaning softly, he pushes himself against the wall, coarse bricks biting into his back. His hand comes away red when he touches the wound in his side.

"Fuck," Kaminaga says, quite earnestly. He tips his head back to rest against the wall, looking up at the sliver of sky between two buildings. If he was more awake he'd be able to count the birds fluttering about, but now they just make him more dizzy.

One of them descends slowly and plops down beside him. It's yet another pigeon. 

"Been seeing a lot of you guys around lately," Kaminaga mutters. He brushes the pigeon's head lightly with his fingertips. _Maybe it can get a message to Hatano and the others_ , he muses, mind wandering.

"Not surprising, considering they're working with me." 

Startled by the voice, Kaminaga turns his head to see the detective standing over him. For the second time tonight, the gun is aimed at him.

-

Tazaki feels foolish pointing a weapon at someone injured to such a degree, but he also knows not to underestimate the thief. He's learned his lesson.

Though, the thief did save a couple hundred people...

"Hello again, handsome." The thief manages a playful grin. "Fancy seeing you again so soon."

"A coincidence I worked very hard to arrange, 'darling'." Tazaki crouches down next to the thief and tilts his chin with the gun. "Now, I'd like some questions answered, if you don't mind."

-

The action was undoubtedly payback for their previous encounter. But still - it was far gentler than Kaminaga expected. Or, as gentle as a gun under one's chin could be. Almost... intimate. He contemplates the man on the other end of the weapon. 

"But I _do_ mind." Grin still in place, he stares defiantly up into the detective's eyes. 

-

Battered, bruised, and bleeding out, the thief's defiance is a stark contrast to his current situation. His clothes are disheveled and cut in a dozen places from the fight, stained red with the blood of several different people, but mostly his own. The thief's lost enough of it that it's a miracle he's still awake. Even his grin looks difficult to maintain. 

And still such a determined stare from those brown eyes. What an idiot. 

Tazaki has to consciously fight not to avert his own.

"Fine," he sighs, lowering the gun. "I'll find some other time to ask." As he tucks the weapon safely away, he glances at the thief's injuries again. "You're in no state to answer questions anyway."

"Glad you noticed." The thief relaxes a little, head dropping to the side. "Because I have some questions of my own."

"It doesn't work like that." 

"Sure it does. Do try to keep up, sweetheart." The thief shakes his head as if to clear it. "Now, first question: is that my tie I see hanging out of your pocket?"

"Correct." Tazaki pulls the strip of fabric out. "I figured you might want it back, even if it's... seen better days."

"It and I both." Kaminaga retrieves the tie from Tazaki's outstretched hand and shoves it into his own pocket. "Knife."

"Pardon?"

"My knife," Kaminaga repeats impatiently. "Lost it in the fight. If you were able to get the tie you must have my knife too."

"...Correct again." Tazaki hands the weapon over begrudgingly.

"Second question: why did you notice me at the auction?" Kaminaga carries on with his enquiries blithely. "I'm pretty sure there was something more... interesting going on at that time."

 _Gods, his impertinence knows no bounds._ "If you're trying to blend in, maybe be a little less attractive next time." What the hell, Tazaki might as well have his share of fun too.

The thief's eyes widen slightly at that. "I see," he replies nonchalantly, but can't do anything about the pink creeping across his face. Tazaki can just about make out the blush in the dim lighting. It brightens his mood considerably.

"Alright, no more questions." Tazaki props his chin on the back of one hand, considering his next course of action. "I'm not helping you make improvements to your plans."

"But - "

"No." Tazaki bites back a chuckle at the sight of the thief pouting. "Or I will have the pigeons take a few bites out of you."

The thief's barely-focused gaze rests on the pigeon next to him. It seems to remind him of something.

"What, you control pigeons...?" he blurts.

"They work _with_ me, not _for_ me." Tazaki takes a closer look at the wound in the thief's side. The red puddle under the thief is steadily growing, staining the stones with blood. Tazaki leans forward a little. "We should probably do something about that."

"I'm fine..." When the reply does come, it's so soft Tazaki can barely hear it. "... just tired..." 

Tazaki looks up in time to see the thief's eyes flutter shut. Finally giving in to his exhaustion and injuries, the thief starts to topple sideways as he loses consciousness.

"Oh," Tazaki mumbles a little uselessly. He catches the thief before his head could hit the cobblestones. 

Looking down at the face pressed against his arm, Tazaki realizes that he cannot possibly leave the thief here to bleed to death in an alley. 

Maybe he can negotiate with the thief.

Maybe he can force some answers out of him, regarding the diamond and the rest of his gang members.

Maybe he can interrogate him about any heists or robberies they might've pulled in the past. He doubts they're as well-intentioned as the one tonight.

Maybe he can find out why exactly they decided to save the auction hall from the bomb.

Maybe he can stop making excuses, and accept that he simply doesn't want the thief to die.

"I haven't even gotten your name," Tazaki mutters as he gently lifts the thief up. One of the pigeons lands on his shoulder and stares up at the detective questioningly. 

_I don't know what I'm doing either,_ he thinks to himself as he hauls the thief to his car. _But for now I'm trying to keep the bastard alive._

-

There's something soft beneath his head. 

Kaminaga returns to his senses while the detective is still tending to his wounds. 

"Awake?" Tazaki asks, glancing up only briefly from the injuries. He doesn't stop moving. 

_Shit, it hurts._ "Unfortunately," Kaminaga murmurs with a groan of pain. 

Tazaki pauses at the sound. "If it's any consolation, you won't be conscious for long." He resumes his efforts.

"That's reassuring," Kaminaga retorts dryly. 

"I just meant..." - here the detective sighs - "I just meant you shouldn't be awake this soon. Your injuries are serious, but they're no longer life-threatening. They just look worse than they really are."

"Hm." Amidst the haziness, Kaminaga makes a noncommittal sound. "I recover very quickly, y'know. I'll be back to normal tomorrow morning." He presses his face into the cushions, hoping the room will stop spinning. 

"Impossible. Stop talking."

He can still feel the detective's hands, though. Kaminaga suppresses a shiver as Tazaki's fingers graze his skin, bandaging the hideous cut in his side. Maybe being conscious isn't so bad after all...

When the dizziness has abated a little, Kaminaga turns - slowly - back, squinting his eyes against the light. The detective is staring at him, having finished bandaging the wounds.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Kaminaga stares back up with a feeble grin.

Tazaki inches the chair closer. "Yes, actually." He sounds amused. "Another cut."

"Of all places..." Kaminaga mutters. 

A small chuckle escapes the detective. "Not 'of all places', sweetheart. Your entire being has received equally terrible treatment in the past few hours." 

"You're right, though I believe you contributed." Kaminaga flinches as Tazaki cleans the wound. 

"Don't move." With his free hand, Tazaki cups the side of the thief's head, holding him in place. His other hand starts applying ointment to the wound, but his touch is lighter. "You believe correctly... I'm sorry, but I didn't get your name."

Kaminaga, distracted by the palm against his cheek, almost misses the question. "Not to sound clichéd, but that's because I never gave it." Yes, he's definitely thankful to be awake right now. 

The corners of the detective's mouth tug upwards in a small smile. "Well, can I have it?"

 _Oh, darling, in this moment you can have anything I can give you, and then some._

It's a horrifying and exhilarating thought. 

"Kaminaga." He relaxes against the warmth of the detective's hand, leaning into his touch. "I'm Kaminaga."

"Finally, a name for the face I've been chasing after for hours." The detective covers the cut with a gauze, then sits back to admire his work. Kaminaga sighs inwardly as the hand leaves the side of his head. "Nice to meet you, I guess. I'm Tazaki."

"I know. We have our sources." Kaminaga grins. "Nice to properly make your acquaintance too, Tazaki. Sorry about your night."

Tazaki huffs. "I'd still like some answers."

There's a short silence, but it's pleasant enough.

Oh, what the hell. He owes him that much. "What would you like to know?" 

"Why did you go after the bomb?" The detective doesn't miss a beat.

"Ji- the... brains behind our operations didn't want anything to do with it, actually." Kaminaga can feel himself drifting off again. "He found out about it and said, I quote, 'there's a bomb at this event; let's skip it and see what happens.'" 

"Not a fan of the higher-class, I take."

Kaminaga raises an eyebrow. "Are you?"

"Nah."

His words are starting to slur; he can't tell where a sentence ends and another starts anymore. "Anyway, I reminded him that there's staff in the building. 'Who will we steal from if the rich dies?' Hatano said to - " 

Ah shit, he's let a name slip. "I think the second protest was far more effective. Also please forget the name I mentioned..." Kaminaga trails off, his eyelids sliding close for a second. "We're usually not so heroic. That's all I'm saying."

"I don't know any 'Hatano's," Tazaki replies obediently. "Get some rest." 

Kaminaga blinks and tries to focus his gaze on Tazaki. "I wanna ask questions too... can't think of any right now."

"Kaminaga," Tazaki repeats sternly, "get some rest."

That doesn't sound too bad, to be honest. "Mhm..." 

Kaminaga sinks gratefully back into the darkness.

-

Tazaki has, of course, filed the name 'Hatano' away for future reference. 

He stares at the immobile figure currently occupying his couch. Asleep, with his head tilted towards the cushions, the thief looks softer and more vulnerable than when he's awake. _Less irritating too._

Tazaki doubts he will be able to get any more answers, but most of his puzzlements did get solved. There's at least three people in the gang, with one of them in charge of intel. From what Tazaki can glean from the brief exchange, the guy isn't particularly charitable... 

Tazaki would prefer not to cross him just yet.

Hatano could be the drunken young man that caused the distraction at the auction, but it's a wild guess. There could be more people in the group. He's sure there was supposed to be policemen patrolling the perimeter...

In the end, what did it matter to him? Tazaki has been hired for tonight only. He runs a hand down his face; what the hell is he going to tell Sakuma? The whole night has been surreal. He can't possibly hand the thief - Kaminaga, he reminds himself - over to the police. Especially since the man did save the lives of hundreds of people. 

What if Tazaki had actually succeeded in retrieving the diamond? What would've happened then? 

...

  
Forcing down an uneasy swallow, he turns his thoughts elsewhere. His gaze lands on the thief again. Kaminaga, he said his name's Kaminaga. It's a nice name.

Tazaki remembers how soft the thief's face felt under his palm. He acted as nonchalant as he could, but in truth he was quite flustered. They both did, they both were. In that proximity the detective could see the way Kaminaga's face turned red. 

Maybe tonight hasn't been terrible after all.

He'll deal with the aftermath tomorrow morning.

-

It isn't uncommon for Kaminaga to wake up in a stranger's house half-undressed, but it's definitely the first time he's done so covered in bandages. 

The white ceiling stares back at him from above. Slowly, he pulls himself up into a sitting position and surveys the room. The detective's office, he reckons. There's a desk, a sitting area, and a tiny kitchenette. The furnishings are modest.

On the coffee table is a set of clean clothes. Not Kaminaga's own, obviously. He remembers them getting quite messed up and bloodied. Beneath the clothes is his knife, but there's no sign of the tie anywhere. Maybe the detective has decided to keep it after all.

He gets dressed carefully, trying to avoid angering any of the injuries. Standing up proved more difficult, but he'd manage. 

The detective's clothes fit him perfectly. That isn't strange in of itself, since they're roughly built the same, but still a smile tugs at Kaminaga's lips. _Smells like him too._

Ah, he should probably leave while Tazaki isn't here yet. The others would be worried sick by now. Knowing them, they'd pretend otherwise, of course. 

One hand against the wall for support, Kaminaga limps slowly but steadily towards the door. He does feel a little guilty for leaving without saying a word... _no_ , he reasons with himself. _You're a thief; you don't owe anyone anything._ Especially after your heroics yesterday.

He stumbles and steadies himself. Maybe he should stay for a bit after all... God knows he probably shouldn't even be moving right now. 

A few more hours in Tazaki's presence would do him a world of good... Kaminaga frowns; this is exactly why he's so anxious to leave. 

He reaches for the door, and it opens. Kaminaga steps back just in time to avoid getting hit.

"!?"

The detective stands in the doorway, the surprise on his face mirroring Kaminaga's own. He has an arm around a brown paper bag and a rolled-up newspaper. The words 'explosion' and 'pier' can be seen in big, bold, letters.

Tazaki recovers himself first. "Leaving so soon?" Closing the door behind him, he spares his guest a glance before moving further into the room. "Not even a word of thanks... you wound me."

Kaminaga trails behind the detective for a few steps, then stops. He leans against the wall in what he hope is a casual manner, crossing his arms. Ignoring just how much he needs the wall to keep himself upright, Kaminaga scoffs. "Oh, how will I ever repay you for letting me save hundreds of lives?"

"You did ruin my favourite suit." Tazaki deposits the items he's carrying on the coffee table. "A goodbye kiss would be enough. Wouldn't you say so?"

 _Ah, revenge._ Kaminaga sees how it is. "Just one?" he enquires teasingly.

The detective tilts his head slightly, pretends to think about it. "As many as you can give, and then some more," he says as he walks around the couch to stop in front of Kaminaga.

"Damn you," Kaminaga mutters. The carpet seems to suddenly be the most interesting object on earth. He stares at it desperately, face hot. 

"Didn't quite catch that, love." Tazaki reaches out and tilts Kaminaga's chin, interrupting the thief's scrutiny of the carpet. The careless nickname and gentleness of his fingers set Kaminaga's heart pounding faster than any weapon ever could. "How's the cut on your cheek doing?"

Kaminaga disguises a shaky exhale as a sigh. "You can't see it under the gauze, sweetheart." Try as he might, he can't find a way to hide his grin, nor does he want to.

"Maybe I have other designs, then." The detective leans forward. Kaminaga can barely hear him over the pounding of his heart, but he can still see quite clearly the blush on the detective's cheeks. "May I?"

Kaminaga shuts his eyes and nods, once. He doesn't trust himself to do anything else. 

_You fool_ , he thinks to himself, quite correctly. _You absolute fool. This is just payback for last night, for the kiss you stole from him. Nothing more. Why are you such a hopeless mess for something so trivial?_

His thoughts disappear the moment he feels their lips touch. Payback or not, he does not deserve a kiss this tender. 

A surprised noise escapes _him_ this time; Kaminaga doesn't think his legs can support him for much longer. Pretty soon he isn't thinking at all. He leans into the kiss; he can feel the detective's other hand on his back.

Reaching up blindly, Kaminaga buries a hand in Tazaki's hair. He circles his other arm around the detective's waist and pulls him closer. Is he being greedy? He no longer cares. 

In response, Tazaki moves his hand to cup the thief's cheek on the uninjured side. Kaminaga giggles delightedly against the detective's mouth, wishing the moment would never end, but still grateful he got to experience it at all. 

"See?" Tazaki comments breathlessly as Kaminaga's legs finally give and he falls a little awkwardly against the detective. The hand previously buried in Tazaki's hair now rests on his shoulder. "You really shouldn't be moving so much this soon." 

Kaminaga lets himself rest for a moment more, face pressed against Tazaki's chest. Then, slowly and tentatively, he straightens as much as he can and looks up. "Was that for your own benefit, or mine?"

Tazaki laughs, a pleasant sound. "The two needn't be mutually exclusive. Don't you think so?"

Kaminaga hits the detective's shoulder lightly in reply, a lopsided smirk on his face.

"To be completely honest," here Tazaki's tone loses some of its previous playfulness; his gaze softens. "you are a pain in the ass. But... I'd miss you if you decided to waltz out the door after only a single night's acquaintance."

"'A pain in the ass', huh?" Kaminaga repeats dumbly, pretending not to have heard anything else. 

"Only because you're so infuriatingly charming." Tazaki winks. There is, unfortunately, not enough of a teasing glint in those black eyes for Kaminaga to brush it off as mere playful flirtation. "I can use a worthy adversary."

Tazaki's gaze softens when he's telling the truth - a fact Kaminaga's sure the detective isn't aware of. It clenches the thief's heart breathlessly, but not unpleasantly.

Oh.

_Oh._

_Oh no._

Kaminaga can feel himself falling and doing nothing to arrest his own descent. A rock sinking into the warm waters of a river, he's resigned himself to his fate.

He's sure even if he walked out the door right now, it won't be the last time their paths crossed. 

(He'd make sure of it, even if it means stealing Tazaki's wallet.)

Tazaki steps away towards the coffee table. "So, stay?" He opens the brown bag; the smell of freshly-baked bread wafts out amidst the sound of crinkling paper. "We can delay being mortal enemies for another few hours. For now, breakfast?"

Kaminaga takes all this in, smiling. "Yes," he says, walking carefully to the couch and making himself comfortable. "I'd like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you tell which parts are written at 12am and which ones at 3am
> 
> (it ain't my fic if there aren't alleyways and no one passes out)
> 
> gotta keep the fandom alive! this is for my fellow jg fans for still being around; thank you so much for simply... existing. (season 2 when) 
> 
> i know this took awhile to complete... thank you for your patience!!!
> 
> epilogue will be up soon!


	2. epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the day after, from other point of views.

It's another busy morning at the police station. 

Sakuma reads the front page headline - 'Midnight Explosion Rocks Pier! Cause Unknown!' - and sighs loudly.

"You look tired." Odagiri, seated just beside Sakuma, looks up from the paperwork on his desk. "Did something happen at the auction?"

"Yes... and no." The police inspector pinches the bridge of his nose. "I need coffee first."

"Already made some." His other colleague emerges from the kitchen area, tray balanced in his hands. Fukumoto smiles slightly as he sets a mug on Sakuma's desk, taking care to avoid the scattered documents on the work surface.

"You're a godsend." Sakuma takes a sip of coffee. Excellent, as usual. If Fukumoto's adoration towards Odagiri was any less obvious, Sakuma'd have tried to marry the man himself. _How is Odagiri so bloody oblivious?_

"I know." Fukumoto sets another steaming mug on Odagiri's desk; the latter nods in gratitude. "You think the explosion might have something to do with _that_ gang of thieves?"

"They're always involved, one way or the other." 

"True," Odagiri agrees. "What were you going to say about the auction?"

"Nothing noteworthy happened, to be honest. Some kid caused a ruckus and was thrown out. The detective followed a lead but it turned out to be a false alarm..." Sakuma trails off. There _is_ one other incident he cannot seem to banish from his thoughts.

"I heard you met a fan," Fukumoto prods, sitting down at his desk opposite Sakuma.

Word sure travels fast. "Yeah, about that..." The mischievous grin, and those playful eyes. The wink he gave Sakuma just before he disappeared back into the night. All of those moments keep replaying in the inspector's mind; he also remembers how he nearly forgot about patrolling.

"How're they like?" one of his colleagues asks.

"He's cute," Sakuma mutters unthinkingly. "Charming, I guess." 

Fukumoto stares at him in mute amazement; Odagiri chokes on coffee. Startled by the sudden sound, Sakuma looks up. "Tell me I did not say that out loud."

"The great stoic Sakuma, describing someone as 'cute'." Odagiri coughs. "I think I've seen it all."

"Shut up," Sakuma growls as his cheeks heat up. "Let's get back to work."

"Good luck," Fukumoto offers, bemused.

Sakuma raises an eyebrow. "You're one to say."

Fukumoto frowns a little at that retort, but soon smiles. It isn't as kind as the previous one. "You can settle your own lunch today."

"Fukumoto, please, I'm sorry- "

"What are you guys on about?" Odagiri pipes up, a look of confusion on his face. "We can talk about lunch later."

"Yes, you're right." Sakuma reaches for the case file on the explosion to hide his grin. Fukumoto sighs, but he does take out a pen and paper to make notes.

"There were no witnesses as to what caused the explosion, but there were some men reported to be prowling about. Curiously enough, the officers that questioned them said they look beaten up and smelled absolutely horrible..."

_I'll see you around, Inspector Sakuma._

-

It's nearly noon when Kaminaga finally makes it back to the base. 

"Oh, look who's decided to show up," Hatano remarks dryly, looking up from his station on the couch. Jitsui gives a small wave from upstairs, where he's leaning against the railing.

"Cut me some slack," Kaminaga whines as he closes the door. "That's hardly a fitting welcome - I completed the mission, didn't I?"

"You didn't have to," Jitsui reminds unhelpfully, being against it from the start. Miyoshi hides his smirk behind his teacup, then composes himself enough to set the cup down on the table.

"I trust the lot of you had a good night's rest while I ran around the city carrying a bomb?"

"Of course," Hatano lies. None of them slept. Not one of them would admit it, but they were all worried. "We ended up on the front page news again, by the way."

Surely Kaminaga notices the shadows under their eyes. "Or so I've read." He leans against the wall. "The private detective at the auction... we may or may not have snagged his interest."

"Does said interest extend to the rest of us?" Miyoshi asks pleasantly. "Or just you?"

Jitsui scoffs. "Is seducing the enemy our standard operating procedure now?" 

"Shut up." Miyoshi smiles up at Jitsui. "It worked."

"Sakuma might be finding a way to get rid of you even as we speak." Hatano pauses as Kaminaga plops down beside him on the couch. "'Taking you out', just not in the way you're hoping."

"Getting rid of me?" Miyoshi smirks. "It'd take a lot to kill me, and even then you can't be sure I'm dead."

Kaminaga runs a hand through his hair tiredly. "I prefer you alive, you narcissistic midget." 

"Oh? Are you saying you'd miss me?"

"Yeah," Kaminaga mutters quietly, much to Hatano's concern and Miyoshi's embarrassed delight. They're not the type to show much affection towards each other, after all. Yes, now that he's nearer, Hatano sees that Kaminaga actually _does_ look a little pale.

"Well, I wasn't aware that yesterday was date night," he says nonchalantly, "I was thrown out of the auction quite unceremoniously."

At that Kaminaga turns towards him. "Tell me the truth: were you fully sober?"

"Of course."

Kaminaga grins. "I knew it. You bastard." 

Hatano can't help it - he returns his fellow thief's smile. Jitsui sighs loudly from above them, like a disapproving god. 

"Jitsui, look, I got you something." Kaminaga takes out a wallet from his pocket. He turns in his seat and tosses it up to Jitsui. "Catch."

Jitsui reaches out and plucks it from the air gracefully. "I see you did not come back empty-handed. Good." He inspects the contents, muttering something that sounded like 'broke as hell' under his breath - Hatano can't be sure. "The detective's?"

"Yep. Please return it to me after you've robbed him of his money."

Hatano didn't miss the way Kaminaga had clenched his jaw when he threw the wallet. He can pretend to be fine all he want, but Hatano has a suspicion that Kaminaga's injuries are far worse than the single plaster on his cheek. Speaking of that...

"I thought the two of you are on great terms." Hatano tilts his head, studying Kaminaga sideways. "Looks like he patched you up and all."

"Oh, I'll live." Kaminaga waves a hand dismissively. Hatano tries to make out any other bandages beneath his long-sleeved shirt, but his attempts are futile. "By the way, does anyone know the best place to buy a suit?"

Of course Kaminaga wouldn't show any signs of weakness in front of them. 

Hatano watches silently as the other three start a half-hearted discussion about the tailor shops they frequent. 

_Still..._

Hatano sighs and stands up. "Oi."

"Hm?" Kaminaga looks up at him innocently. "Where would you suggest, Hatano?"

"You'll need to withdraw some money for your purchase." Hatano crosses his arms, feigning impatience. "And I'll need to record it in the ledger."

Both Jitsui and Miyoshi aren't to be trusted with their finances, so the responsibility has fallen onto Hatano to keep track of their money. He doesn't mind - better this than having to beg Miyoshi to make a withdrawal, or suddenly being accused of embezzlement by Jitsui.

Kaminaga grins in delight. Standing up, he throws an arm around Hatano. "It's not like you to be so cooperative! Come, lead the way." 

His arm is much heavier than usual around Hatano's shoulder. Even as he feels his chest tighten, Hatano quietly slides an arm behind Kaminaga's back, supporting his friend as best as he can. 

It isn't until they're safely inside their room that Kaminaga finally allows himself a sigh of relief. Hatano lowers him gently until he's sitting at the edge of his bed. 

"Your injuries. Are they bad?" Hatano leans against the wall in front of Kaminaga.

"Mm." Kaminaga carefully takes off the shirt he's wearing. "I'm gonna go take a bath."

He trusts Hatano enough to show him the wounds, but that isn't much consolation. Hatano couldn't help a sharp inhale at the sight. 

"Got into a messy fight, but like I said -- " Kaminaga grins at Hatano, but this time it looks pained. " -- I'll live." He stands, about to walk to their bathroom.

"Of course you will," Hatano mutters quietly.

"Oh." Seeing the look on Hatano's face, Kaminaga stops in his tracks. "You're worried about me?"

"Of course I am!" Hatano has to actively stop himself from punching the taller thief. _Why are you like this?_

Kaminaga blinks in surprise, then collects himself enough to ruffle Hatano's hair affectionately. "Hey, I'll be fine, alright?"

"Whatever." Hatano watches as Kaminaga walks off. "After your bath, change your bandages and then get some rest or something. I'll wake you up for dinner."

_You're such an idiot._

Kaminaga pauses at the doorway to the bathroom. "Hatano?"

"What."

Turning to look at him, Kaminaga smiles. "Thanks. I mean it."

"Hmph." Hatano frowns but couldn't keep his lips from twitching into a smile of his own. "Yell for me if you need anything."

"Got it." The door to the bathroom slides close. Hatano waits a few minutes before returning to the living room. 

"How is he?" Miyoshi asks, the undercurrent of worry in his tone betraying his nonchalant facade. They hear the sound of a chair being pushed back, and moments later Jitsui reappears at the railing. 

"...Not so good," Hatano admits, "but he'll be fine." 

"Alright," Miyoshi replies quietly, and Jitsui disappears back to his work again. 

Neither of them says anything more, but at dinner Kaminaga sees a table covered with all his favourite dishes, and Jitsui has just assigned him a simpler role in their next project. 

"Aw, look at you guys."

Jitsui smiles sweetly. "You know that I will not hesitate to poison you."

"I do, I do." Kaminaga sits down at the table. Seeing everyone properly settled, Hatano raises his wine glass.

"To another mission accomplished."

"To Yuuki, without whom we wouldn't be here today." 

"He's on a business trip, Jitsui, not dead," Miyoshi complains, but smiles nonetheless. "To more successful heists in the future." 

They look at Kaminaga expectantly; he raises his glass solemnly.

"To us, the best phantom thieves around." His serious face breaks into a grin that lights up the whole room. "Now and always."

The clink as they bring their glasses together reverberates within the walls, and the way the champagne glints under the lamplights is burned into Hatano's mind. He looks around at the faces of his colleagues, his friends... no. They're much more than that. His _family_. 

In this moment, surrounded by them, Hatano wouldn't want to be anywhere else. His chest hurts, and he chuckles. He's pretty sure he isn't the one that nearly died. Maybe that's exactly why...

"Welcome back, Kaminaga." Hatano, Miyoshi and even Jitsui say in unison. Hatano, sitting closest to Kaminaga, is rewarded with a glimpse of the blush on Kaminaga's cheeks. 

"It's good to be home."

-

"He stole my wallet." Tazaki runs a hand down his face, sitting on his neighbour's sofa. "My goddamned wallet."

Emma gasps. "That's a bad word!" she exclaims, and runs off to fetch the swear jar. It makes quite a ruckus in her arms as she runs back, the substantial amount of coins inside jangling noisily. Amari looks on with pride. 

Tazaki takes out a wallet from his pocket. Amari thinks it looks less-used; clearly the stolen one has been his favourite. Sighing dramatically, the detective drops a coin into the jar. "Tell me, Emma, why did he do that?"

"You look happy though!" Emma offers, much to Tazaki's mortification.

"She's right." Amari smiles as he sets a cup down in front of his guest. Green tea. "I'd reckon he stole more than just your wallet." 

Tazaki takes a sip of the tea. "Spare me." 

"You're smiling again!" Emma points out, both verbally and physically.

Amari sits down in an armchair across from Tazaki. "You came here to brag, didn't you?" he huffs. He pulls Emma onto his lap, chiding her for pointing at other people. She's a sweet girl, she'd listen.

"Okay..." Emma mumbles. She jumps off and darts across the living room, attention snatched by something else. 

"They have a lot of energy, don't they? Kids." Tazaki comments.

Amari shakes his head helplessly. "It's both a blessing and a curse."

"Treasure it while you still can." Tazaki smiles fondly as Emma plops down in her play area in the corner, doodling with some crayons. "Next they'll be asking questions about discrete mathematics before you know it."

"Oh, how hard can that be."

They lapse into a comfortable silence, the only sound coming from Emma's artistic endeavors: crayons scratching paper.

"So, this man you saved and who stole your wallet." Amari grins. "He cute?"

"Enough about me." Tazaki glances away. Amari can practically hear him scrabbling around in his mind for another topic - its endearing. "How's it going with your current girl? What's her name again... Miyō...?"

Well, if it's about Miyō, Amari can entertain Tazaki's efforts for a little. "She's a really nice girl."

"Don't go breaking her heart, casanova."

"Nah." Amari smiles. "This one looks to be a keeper. So, is he cute?" Of course he isn't about to let his neighbour off the hook so easily.

Tazaki groans at the sudden shift of conversation. "No," he mutters, watching distractedly as Emma bounds back, drawing in hand. "Okay, maybe a little."

"Look!" Emma shoves the piece of paper under Amari's nose. He squints to make out just what it was that she drew - Emma still has a long way to go before she can call herself a professional artist. 

Tazaki leans over, studying the painting. "A person?"

"Friend!" Emma grins brightly. "Sometimes we go shopping together."

"It's a very, ah, nice picture, Emma." Tazaki compliments politely, glancing at the stick figure. "Thank you for showing it to us."

But the girl is staring at him very seriously, brow set in a small frown. "Go after him!" she says, and it takes Amari a moment to figure out what she's talking about. "Get your wallet and... whatever else he stole from you back!"

Tazaki blinks in surprise, then chuckles. "You think so?" he smiles in earnest.

"The little lady is right," Amari says as he pats Emma on the head. "As usual. Go after him." He looks up. "But you're already planning on doing that, aren't you?"

"Technically, it is my job..." Tazaki mumbles.

Amari feels his smile freeze on his face. "Sorry? Don't you work as a private detective?" 

That snaps Tazaki back; he shakes his head as if to clear some meddlesome thoughts. "The less you know, the better. I don't want the two of you to get in trouble."

"Okay!" Emma nods obediently as Tazaki stands up. 

"Good girl. Now if you'll excuse me -- " Tazaki leans down and presses a kiss to Amari's cheek, much to the other's delight. "Your company is aways a pleasure, Amari. Thanks for the tea, by the way."

"Likewise, dear neighbour." Amari grins as Tazaki crouches in front of Emma.

"See you around, little lady." Tazaki kisses the back of her hand gently. "Thanks for the advice."

Emma giggles. "No problem, Uncle Tazaki."

The two of them watches as the private detective walks to the door. He pauses at the threshold, one hand around the doorknob. "I don't have to remind you that I live just down the hall, and that you're free to visit anytime I'm home, right?"

"I think you're the one that needs reminding." Amari chuckles as he gathers Emma in his arms, both waving goodbye as their neighbour closes the door.

"Uncle Tazaki is nice isn't he?" Amari sighs good-naturedly.

"Yep!" Emma reaches for the swear jar on the table, holding it carefully. "Look, it's nearly full."

"Then that's too much swearing you've endured, m'lady."

But Emma doesn't seem to mind. "When do you think Uncle Hatano will be free? This should be enough for the teddy I want." She gives the swear jar an experimental shake; the money inside jangles satisfactorily.

_So that's who you've been drawing._ "Maybe pretty soon, who knows? There shouldn't be too much work at the flower shop this weekend."

Emma cheers happily, and Amari is once again reminded of how glad he is that she's here, under his wing. He wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

And outside, the sun sets, marking the end of yet another normal day in the city. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading until the end! I really hope you enjoyed it!!!
> 
> If you did, please consider leaving a comment? Each and every single one of them makes me super happy >u< (I mean it. They really do.)
> 
> Come scream at me too; I believe all the links are below..?
> 
> Selamat Hari Raya 💕

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! <3 (no, seriously, they'll make my day) 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this! Thank you for reading this far 🎵
> 
> Inspired by [Diamond Jack](https://youtu.be/mRpiBvwKX6c) \- go give it a listen c:
> 
> Also I have [this very sexy version](https://open.spotify.com/track/6VhG8miESzGWNAzlTLUpoD?si=Hic6EIihQ6yb0NNanOyuiA) of Persona 5's Beneath the Mask on repeat for months now... it's *chef's kiss*
> 
> Come find me at [@hey_its_wei](https://mobile.twitter.com/hey_its_wei) and [orange-cheetah](https://orange-cheetah.tumblr.com/) :DDD


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